Teen Suspect In Handgun Theft Escapes Officials Police

January 08, 1986|The Morning Call

A 16-year-old Allentown youth - one of six juvenile suspects in the Dec. 29 burglary in which 26 handguns were stolen from the Army & Navy Store, 1045 Grape St., Whitehall Township - escaped last night from the Northampton County Juvenile Detention Home.

The youth reportedly escaped within 30 minutes after he had been transported to the Easton facility by personnel from the the Lehigh County Detention Home.

Allentown police and juvenile officers arrested the youth early yesterday afternoon at 17 N. 2nd St., Allentown, after receiving a tip he had been seen in the area.

Juvenile officers said the boy had been turned over to Lehigh County detention personnel at 5:30 p.m.

A spokesman for the Lehigh County facility said late last night that county probation authorities and personnel had decided to transfer the 16- year-old to Northampton County to keep him separated from two other Army & Navy store burglary suspects being held in Lehigh.

Personnel at the Northampton County Detention Home said last night they were unable to confirm or deny the escape.

Easton police confirmed they received a report of the escape at 6:30 p.m. Lehigh County Detention Home personnel said they received the same report about the same time.

While circumstances of the escape were sketchy, The Morning Call learned that the suspect reportedly forced open a cabinet in the kitchen of the Easton facility and obtained a knife, which he used to threaten the attendants. He then reportedly tossed a fire extinguisher through a window and escaped on foot.

Police said the kitchen of the Northampton County Detention Home doubles as a booking area for new arrivals.

In addition to the three juvenile boys, Whitehall Township police said three Bethlehem girls were involved in the burglary. They have been released in the custody of their parents pending juvenile court action.

Detective Gerald Procanyn of township police said the girls waited outside while the boys entered the Army & Navy Store by prying off a metal door, setting off a burglary alarm at about 8 p.m. on Dec. 29.

After the burglary, Procanyn said, the juveniles went to an Allentown apartment and distributed the guns to possible buyers. Police suspect one person brought six guns for $700.

Eleven of the weapons have been recovered, six by Allentown police on Monday night, three by Bethlehem police and one by state police at Bethlehem. Allentown police reccovered a seventh gun yesterday.

The guns still missing are believed still to be in the Lehigh Valley, Procanyn said. The value of the entire loot has been set at $7,150.

The juveniles have been charged with counts of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy.